I've been taking my dogs to get groomed at the same place for years. The first time I went years ago, I tried to tip the guy who did the grooming and he said he doesn't accept tips. Incidentally, he is the owner. Yesterday, I bought my dog to get groomed and the lady who was at the front desk who I handed the payment to looked like she was expecting a tip. Now I feel terrible because I came with just the amount for the service. What is the proper etiquette here? Does the owner not expect a tip but everyone else is supposed to be tipped? I never really know who the groomer will be working on my dog. Am I supposed to ask who the groomer was and hand them the tip myself?

I don't really know what is proper but I tip our groomer $5.00....her grooming charge is $40.00. I have been doing this for over a year now. She seems very grateful as I don't think a lot of people tip. She is the owner but has another person working for her. I tip her too when she does the grooming.

I'm a groomer, and since it's a service it is polite to tip, especially good groomers! Good groomers try their best to make your dog feel comfortable and the groom stress-free. It's a lot of hard work sometimes. Also it's very much appreciated when the owner gives a bigger tip if their dog was very matted, has behaviour problems, etc.

That being said, I don't see a lot of tips. I think a lot of groomers don't get tipped because people don't realize they can, or don't think they should. I work out of an animal hospital, and since I'm there and people going there don't tip for any of the other services there, they don't think me, the groomer, should be tipped. Since April I've only had maybe 6 people give me a tip, which I've been very grateful about, even if it's just an extra $2.

So if you really want to make your groomer's day, give them a tip! Tip what you think they deserve.

Thanks for the responses. Like I said previously, I thought they should be tipped too, but I was thrown off when the owner told me years ago that he doesn't accept tips so I guess I thought since then that groomers don't get tipped. My dogs are big and very furry and I know they aren't the best with getting brushed let alone groomed so believe me when I say I am completely appreciative of a good groomer!

If you're a regular at a salon I would definitely find out who did the work and thank them and tip them personally. At Christmas I send a card with four $5 Dunkin Donut cards to our favorite groomer-one for each employee.

I tip my groomer, oh, wait a minute, I AM my groomer, BOL!!
Seriously, I groom full time and I have a brusher/bather full time. We do lunch EVERY DAY from the tips we get, so yes, it is certainly appreciated!!! Yesterday, we got $60, today we got nothing, so it depends on the clients, I guess. I do not have any signs stating Tips are Appreciated, or the like so we are happy with what we get.

When I worked in a private salon as a bather, it was just me and the owner working there. She never accepted tips herself, but whatever people did give her, she gave to me. Tips were rare since we were in a rural, depressed area but she told me she always gave the tips to her workers rather than keep them herself.

Now I am a groomer in a chain store salon. We do accept - and appreciate!- tips. We are not allowed to have signage saying that we do accept tips and I have never felt comfortable asking for them.

If you would tip the stylist who does your own hair, I personally feel you should tip your dog's groomer. This is a service we are providing that is way more challenging than doing your hair